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LABOR QUESTIONS.

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LoNDOifj August' 20. The steamship owners are forming a union with a capital of from seven to eight millions to enable them to frustrate the labor unions, i London,, August 21, The jdopfc .laborers at Tilbury dock, who went out on strike demanding the expulsion of non-unionists have gained 'theday.;" ■•'•: " ■■-/<■■ "-^- ■':,; ■ -> 9 The v Daily News," iridiscussing the shipping strike inAustralia, asserts that it is likely tq ctiverfc trade. Brussels, August 2L Eight thousand, colliers have gone on strike, the men declining to accept ft reduction: m wages. ■■■ l New York, August 221 The Knights of Labor threaten to call out on strike all hands engaged on. Vanderbilt's railways m. New York, Buffalo, Cleveland, Cincinnati, and St. Louis,:-. ■ ■ ; ■,.... ..■■.■,.,;,.... ■' ,:! ; v Sydney, August 22. The Union Oo.'s steamers Ohau and Taieri, and the mail steamer Mariposa are being discharged by their own crews. Practically all the organisations whidh can impede the shipping traded have, now called out their members'. , strong feeling prevails among ship owners against employing nonUnionists, and,, they, prefer to remain passive,, thus throwing the oAui of. suspension o£ traffic; on . the labor bodies. At a meeting of employers and the Shipowners'* Union to-day, it was, resolyed,.'to'tak^. steps to prosecute the tTriiotis for conspiracy! > . '- >■ The produce market is still excited, and butter is selling a^ 3s 6d retail, arid has advanced Is wholesale. Maize ,has risen 3^ tshaff 10s, and v onio|isjß3. Fifteen hundred southern miners are idle,/ and anany of the wen hare come to; Sydney seeking employment. ... -, Melbourne;,: August 22. The Amalgamated Society of Engineers has decided that the marine engineers shall, give twenty^four hours' notice that it is their iritentibtt' to leave the vessels. Two pastoralists have offered the sum of £5000 each to form the nucleus iof a defence fund. . ■ / i & Adelaide;. August; 22. Employers are combining: against Unionism, and they have V; been promised large sums of mbhfey to assist ih carrying out their determination. (Received August 23, 12.30 p.m.> Adelaide, August. ,23. Flour mills, are closing y owmg to shortness of fuel. ' ; ™ Brisbane* August 22. ;• Most of the vessels are being| despatched by non-union labor, and ship ov/ners are confident they will be able to break down the boycotts At an enthusiastic meeting of employers it was resolved to assist the shipowners.

With reference to the labor troubles at present existing m Sydney, the Union Steamship Company have decided, pending further advices, not to book passengers for any port beyond the next one pasfe Lyttelton, and to take no cargo at all for Australia. . They are endorsing their passage tickets—"Not responsible for strikes or lock-outs."

Napiek, August 22. The Union Steamship Company's agent here has received instructions to issue passenger tickets only to the nearest ports. This is taken here as meaning & probable early strike. . _ Weiungton, August 22. Mr Martin Kennedy this evening received a telegram from" Mr Lomas, one of the miners' delegates, who is at Denniston, stating that he; expected to reach Greymouth on Monday, and believed that the miners would accept Mr Kennedy's conditions, and that possibly work would be resumed as usual on Tuesday. The rumour m circulation here that a general strike m the shipping trade is impending, and may break out at any moment, is making people fearfully uneasy. Southern M.H.R.'s are feeling especially uncomfortable, as they are cut out from home, business.and constituency. —"Times." 7 Owing -to, the unsettled state of maritime afgiirs, the Union Steamship Company have determined; not to book cargo ;or passengers further than from port to port. A slight difficulty occurred to-day with the ateamer Colac; which arrived 5 from Newcastle a couple of days since with a cargo of coal for the Union Company. It appears that when leaving Newcastle no union men could he obtained, and as she required two seamen, two non-union men were selected, and were brought down here. The Seamen's Union to-day informed the captain that unless these nonunionists were discharged the ( crew would bo called out. Th c captain communicated with headquarters with the result that the men complained of were discharged, and their- passages will be paid back to Aus- , tralia. The Colac sailed for Oamaru this evening.. Dunbdin, August 22. The Union Company will not lay up their boats yet m consequence of the strike m Australia, as the, tune is notripeI It is understood that the Maritime Council have tried to induce Unionists m Australia to exclude New Zealand boats ; from the effect of the strike, but 1 if this is not practicable to avoid interfering with New Zealand coasting boftts. It is believed that if the meeting of Victorian and Sydney shipowners vrhich takes place at Albui-y to-day decides on continuing to refuse the demands, the strike will assume much larger dimensions. Napier, August 22, i The proprietary of the " Herald" have received a written notice from Mr Creagh, the local head; of the New Zealand Federated Wharf Laboi-ex-R Union, announcing the. boycott of the "Herald" on the alleged' ground that it had supported Whitoam.be and Tombs th,eir fight*

with the Typographical Union. The Herald" rejoins that it does not mind *he boycott, but it objects moat strongly to the reason alleged, as it is a Union office, and has on every occasion where the trouble has been referred to, condemned Whitcombe and Tomb's attitude. The "Telegraph " is also to be boycotted. Christchuroh, August 22, Yesterday the Union Steamship Company at Lyttelfcon refused to book passengers by the Mararoa for any port further North than Wellington. This step was taken m accordance with instructions received from the head office, and is thought to have some connection with the strike which is being felt m shipping circles m Australia. The tickets issued bore the stipulation that the comditions would only be carried out provided " strikes or lock-outs " did not eventuate. Dunedin, Augnst ??,. It was not the Union Co. that withdrew the two men from the Colac at Wellington. The company refused to discharge them, and the Unionists themselves arranged the withdrawal.

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